An unsanctioned, underground forum from a blogger in the Upstate of South Carolina.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Dilemmas: Which to Fix First? Holes in Your Roof or Holes in Your Theology?

In lieu of a sermon, this Sunday we heard from our former Senior Warden about the need for a new church roof and a capital fundraising campaign to pay off the debt on our parish life building, a debt that for 20 years has never seemed to go away. Drawing a parallel with today's Gospel reading about "Doubting Thomas," he said that if people did not believe him, then he would be happy to show them the holes in the shingles.

Of course, this roof issue has been on the agenda of the vestry for at least 6 years, but since the church has been hemorrhaging members over the past 20 years, and money has always been tight, there was no way to put away funds for that rainy day when something had to be done.

Yes, our former Senior Warden fessed up about the loss of members but somehow concluded that it was a good thing. I guess it would be a good thing if those members were leaving a disciple incubator and planting new churches in the growing wasteland of our increasingly secular society. It might also be a good thing if looked at in the context of less money being sent to our bishop, a bishop who seems intent on chasing away more members.

And therein lies the crux of the matter: the Episcopal church's progressive theological drift into apostasy that we pewsitters have funded for the past 30 years.

One only has to study our bishop's "Curriculum on Same Sex Blessings" to know that there are serious holes in our theology, holes that are big enough to sink the Titanic. We have been sitting in our pews watching the waters pour in through those holes for many years now, all the while waving farewell to those friends and neighbors who jumped into the first available life raft.

Is it any wonder that our aging church structures are being neglected to the point that they must be rescued by last minute capital campaigns?

The dilemma is this: the ceiling of the nave of a church building looks like an inverted boat's keel, it is easy to imagine water dripping down onto our heads (it used to happen before the last set of repairs) from a leaky roof, but that is not what is going to sink your boat; the real danger lies in the water pouring in through all the gaping holes in our theology, and this endangers our very souls (as well as chases away enough parishioners to the extent that there won't be enough fingers left to plug the holes in the roof).

If you don't believe me, just insert your hand into one of the holes in the sides of Episcopal church theology.

Daily Devotions 1928 BCP

Which Church Father Are You?

I'm St. Jerome!

I'm a passionate Christian, fiercely devoted to Jesus Christ and his Church. I am willing to labor long hours in the Lord’s vineyard, and I have little patience with those who are less willing or able to work as I do. My passions often carry me into temptation zones of wrath, lust, and pride.